NEXT heightens focus on operations and execution; ships four millionth fingerprint sensor

In an effort to tighten up and strengthen NEXT Biometrics end-to-end product development through manufacturing, CEO Ritu Favre recently announced some organizational changes that will enable the company to derive the benefits of its technology leadership and strategic focus.

“For us to make the leap as a company to a thriving and growing business that takes full advantage of our capabilities, we now need to make fundamental changes to our product development and launch organization,” said Favre in a memo sent to all employees last Thursday. “We need to transition to efficient manufacturing, rapidly move up the learning curve, improve yields, and negotiate world-class pricing with all our manufacturing partners.”

NEXT has named former EVP of Engineering Dan Cronin Chief Operations Officer charged with integrating product development and manufacturing into a seamless, cohesive unit in order to improve processes, streamline activities and more efficiently drive production of the company’s fingerprint sensor technology.

The Norwegian biometrics firm has also brought on Ravi Jagannath as SVP of Operations reporting to Cronin to oversee quality, operations, planning, purchasing and logistics. Jagannath comes to NEXT from Cirrus Logic, where he served in a senior operations function.

In addition, Zehira Sitbon-Dadon, the company’s Chief of Staff, HR Officer and SVP of Business Operations will be expanding her role to build end-to-end processes of Sales and Operation Planning that will enable NEXT to scale into multiple products, markets and customers.

“I’m pleased to be announcing these changes,” commented Favre. “They are a clear sign of the company’s growth and potential for greater success in the future. As NEXT continues to evolve, ensuring we have the right organizational structure in place to support our strategic goals is essential to our success.”